Cost of Living Comparison Between Zagreb and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Zagreb and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,815 per month in Zagreb vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,718 per month in Zagreb vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,620 per month in Zagreb vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Zagreb costs about 39% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Zagreb sits 32% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.88 €11.96

$11.96 MX$203

16.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 €51.9

$47.38 MX$804

27.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.30 €7.16

$11.75 MX$199

-29.36%

Cappuccino

$2.63 €2.26

$4.12 MX$70.0

-36.17%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 €2.73

$1.40 MX$23.74

126.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 €2.28

$0.91 MX$15.48

190.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.93

$3.21 MX$54.4

5.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.72 €4.07

$7.07 MX$120

-33.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.68 MX$28.44

-19.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 €1.49

$2.15 MX$36.48

-19.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 €2.65

$1.77 MX$30.10

73.45%

Eggs

$4.10 €3.53

$2.82 MX$47.76

45.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.57 €14.28

$9.20 MX$156

80.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.71 €10.96

$9.23 MX$157

37.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.87 €15.41

$12.64 MX$214

41.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 €1.98

$2.95 MX$50.1

-22.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.58 MX$26.79

20.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 €1.88

$2.22 MX$37.70

-1.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 €2.34

$2.36 MX$40.09

14.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.99 MX$33.81

-27.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 €0.92

$1.98 MX$33.58

-45.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.24 MX$21.04

7.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.21 MX$20.55

10.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.78 €4.98

$4.60 MX$78.1

25.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.15 €7.89

$10.52 MX$178

-13.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.69 MX$28.70

2.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 €2.15

$2.77 MX$47.06

-10.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 €0.51

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.2 €50.2

$29.70 MX$504

95.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 €1.95

$5.24 MX$88.8

-56.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 €1.24

$3.65 MX$61.9

-60.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.00 €9.49

$5.78 MX$98.1

90.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.54 MX$26.09

20.78%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.9K €24.1K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

22.45%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.6K €23.8K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

7.07%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$218 €188

$90.7 MX$1,538

140.18%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.03 €18.99

$25.19 MX$427

-12.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.41 €34.84

$31.75 MX$539

27.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.8 €46.37

$68.8 MX$1,167

-21.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.46 €16.78

$29.37 MX$498

-33.74%

Cinema Ticket

$9.40 €8.11

$4.86 MX$82.5

93.42%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$555 €478

$226 MX$3,828

145.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K €9,364

$4,194 MX$71.1K

159.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 €94.4

$47.38 MX$804

131.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.46 €40.05

$43.45 MX$737

6.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.8 €85.2

$80.2 MX$1,361

23.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 €96.0

$91.4 MX$1,550

21.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 €789

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-15.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$700 €603

$409 MX$6,933

71.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,460 €1,259

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-25.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,067 €920

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-16.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,291 €4,561

$4,046 MX$68.6K

30.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,520 €3,034

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-47.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,954 €1,685

$773 MX$13.1K

152.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

11.45

-71.62%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Zagreb: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $916 in Zagreb versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 153% higher in Zagreb, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Zagreb versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $331 vs $278 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Zagreb vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Zagreb is pricier by about 39%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,722 per month in Zagreb and $1,958 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,815 in Zagreb and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 96% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Zagreb at $1,815. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zagreb it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zagreb makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.